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Beale to miss Blues clash?

The Waratahs medical staff are as yet unsure whether Kurtley Beale will be fit to take the field against the Blues on Friday.

The Waratahs medical staff are as yet unsure whether Kurtley Beale will be fit to take the field against the Blues at Eden Park on Friday.

The playmaker is struggling with an ankle injury, sitting out training on Tuesday, and has reportedly been given a 70-30 chance of making the starting lineup. Beale is set to train lightly with the 'Tahs on Wednesday.

Despite the Blues' torrid start to the Super Rugby season, winning only three of their eight games to date and shipping 39 points against the Hurricanes last weekend, history suggests Friday's visitors to Eden Park will be up against it.

The Waratahs have won just seven of their 18 matches against the Auckland-based franchise, and prop Paddy Ryan knows that going head-to-head with John Kirwan's men on the hallowed New Zealand turf will be a challenge.

''The important thing for us is we've had one away win so far and we need to get two,'' Ryan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

''It's a big game for us: it's on Anzac Day, it's at Eden Park – one of the holy homes of rugby. It's a really special game. The boys will be up for that whether they had a five-day turnaround or an eight-day turnaround.'

''They're really strong up front and have used their scrum as a real weapon this year, so it's a big challenge for us and we're really excited by it.